Diamonds and Roses
by Exquisiteliltart
Summary: Bree wants her wedding ring back


Author: Exquisiteliltart

Title: Diamonds and Roses  
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Marc Cherry.

Word count: 2,099  
Description: DrunkBree. Bree wants her wedding ring back.

Spoilers: 2.5 "They asked me why I believe in you."

"Diamonds, roses, I need Moses

To cross this sea of loneliness, Part this red river of pain

I don't necessarily buy any key to the future or happiness

But I need a little place in the sun sometimes or I think I will die"

Patty Griffin, "Moses"

As Lynette pulled into her driveway, after another long Friday night at the office, she noticed Bree was sitting alone in her car. Lynette walked over to her, and realized that she looked rather agitated and worried. The interior light illuminated the red hair that peeked out from under the odd black hat that Bree wore. Bree clenched the steering wheel, than rested her head on it. Lynette knocked on the window and Bree sat up straight, wide-eyed and frightened. She rolled down the window and Lynette bent down. Not only was Bree in the weird black ski cap, she also had on a black sweater and black leather gloves.

"Are you okay?" Lynette asked wincing. Bree's eyes were red and swollen, and she didn't immediately respond. When she spoke it was obvious she had been drinking, "yesss, Lynette. Hi."

"Are you coming or going, Sweetie?" Bree was in no condition to drive.

"I'm on a mission to right a wrong," Bree slurred.

"Oh, okay. Maybe you'd like to go inside. Come on, I'll help you," concern edged into Lynette's voice and she gestured for Bree to come with her.

"No, I have to go get it. I promised Danielle," Bree said defiantly nodding her head and looking off into space.

"What are you going to get? Do you need something from the store? Let me drive you. Bree, you've been drinking," Lynette was very confused. She peered into the back seat and saw a bundle of roses, a shovel and a metal detector. Her brow furrowed in puzzlement and then she asked, "Bree, where exactly are you going?"

"I have to get my ring back," she said plaintively.

"Your wedding ring? The one you tore off your finger and threw into Rex's open grave? You're going to get that ring? Now?" Lynette didn't know quite what to say, but she wasn't about to let Bree drive off alone. She crossed in front of the car and hopped in the passenger seat.

"Yes. I've been thinking about it for quite awhile. Tonight, Danielle had an argument about it. She asked me what happened to my ring, and I hadn't exactly told her about the whole reburying thing with Rex," Bree started the car as she continued talking rather fast and rather crazily. "I simply feel terribly about throwing it away like that, especially since now I know that Rex was actually murdered. Danielle had every right to be upset. She did say some horrid things to me, but I want her to have that ring one day."

"Bree, maybe you can arrange to have the cemetery dig it up? There is no way you can do it by yourself. This is crazy," Lynette tried hopelessly to reason with her, but Bree had definitely made up her mind.

"Now, Lynette: are you coming or going?" Bree smiled and moved to put the car into drive.

Lynette stopped her, "Bree you are obviously drunk out of your mind, and you are not going to drive. Now get out of the car."

"Absolutely not," Bree placed her hands firmly on the steering wheel, "you get out of my car."

Exasperated, Lynette tried to reason with her, "Fine, we'll go try to get your ring back, and I will even help you, but on one condition—I drive."

"No," Bree stated again.

"Fine. I will make you let me drive." Lynette leaned over, blocking Bree. She turned the car engine off and pulled out the keys. She jumped out, leaving the door open and went around to the other side pulling open the driver side door. "Bree, get out."

Bree was fuming; she grabbed hold of the steering wheel tighter and looked at Lynette with malice, "I am not moving. Give me back those keys."

"Let me drive," Lynette put the keys down the front of her shirt, where Bree couldn't reach. Lynette tried to wrestle Bree out of the car. "Bree this is ridiculous. Just let me drive."

"Damn it, Lynette!" Bree screamed louder than she should have, and Lynette realized how to get her to behave.

"I think the neighbor's lights are going on. They all want to know what we're doing out here. It looks pretty bad," Lynette said using her perfected mom-tone of fake fear. It worked on Bree like a charm; she quieted down, and tried to scoot across the arm rest between the seats to get to the passenger side. Lynette eased in, trying to help her. Bree, being very tall and very drunk, had a difficult time getting her legs to behave. Eventually, she landed unladylike on the passenger seat. She reached out to close her door, and Lynette did the same. They both took a deep breath. Lynette looked at Bree disapprovingly, "What has gotten into you? How much have you had to drink tonight?" Before Bree could answer, Lynette reached down to adjust the seat, and found a half-empty wine bottle under it. She pulled it up and shook it in Bree's face, "Oh my God, Bree. Do realize it's illegal to have open containers of alcohol while driving? You of all people…you're going to get a DUI!"

"I already got one," Bree said quietly, seething. She was angry at herself and at Lynette for calling her out on her bad behavior.

Lynette's eyes widened and jolted forward. She immediately popped the cork out of the bottle, brought the window down and emptied the Chardonnay onto the street. Bree watched her with a pained expression, "That was expensive, Lynette!"

"Oh, well," Lynette said tossing the empty bottle into the backseat. She fished the keys out of her bra, started the car, and drove off.

Lynette pulled into the cemetery and drove slowly down the winding narrow lane. It was completely quiet. The only light came from the headlights of the car. "Where is his grave?" Lynette asked. It was the first time either woman spoke since they began driving. "Over here, I think," Bree pointed. They stopped the car. Bree stepped out of the car and opened the back door, retrieving her flashlight, and shovel. Bree's face softened as she looked at Lynette, who was carrying the roses and the metal detector. Neither woman admitted it, but walking through a pitch-black grave yard at night is a scary experience, no matter what age or level of confidence they had reached. Despite their anger, Bree and Lynette instinctively locked their arms and huddled together, following the single beam from the flashlight. "What a friend you are..," Bree let out an airy drunken laugh. Her lilting voice echoed strangely, puncturing the dark. "Who else do I know in the entire world that would be out here with me, to help me dig up my husband's grave?"

Lynette laughed sourly, "Yeah, I honestly do not know why I am even out here."

Bree quit walking and shined the flashlight around illuminating long-forgotten tombstones until she found Rex's. She handed Lynette the flashlight. She positioned the shovel and began to dig rapidly. Bree wasn't a stranger to hard work, and she had the arm muscles to prove it. Lynette carefully sat down in her work suit, and held the roses on her lap, keeping the light trained on the ground where Bree was digging. "Bree, you do know that he is buried down six feet?" Lynette doubted Bree had the stamina to dig that deep.

"Lynette, please, I calculated. One afternoon, I planted six shrubs that each needed a 3 foot hole down, and 3 foot across. I did it in three hours."

"Wow. Well let me know when you need me to take over."

"Thanks."

Lynette lost track of the time. Bree dug and dug. Lynette listened to her heavy breathing, and yawned, "Bree, how is it coming?"

"I'm over half-way, I think. Come look."

Lynette, looked into the pit, and indeed she had made it down almost four feet.

"I'm..um…sober now," Bree said, finally acknowledging her inebriation.

"Good," Lynette said enthusiastically, "now can you tell me, what is going on with you?"

Lynette took the shovel out of her hands, and pulled off her leather gloves. Lynette, noticed that Bree was soaked in sweat, so she took her scarf off and softly wiped Bree's face, "you go sit down and take a break. I'll dig now, but I want you to talk to me."

Not wanting to ruin her work clothes, Lynette removed her jacket and her white blouse, wearing just her camisole, she dug in.

Bree also removed her own sweater and spread it on the ground to sit on; she remained quiet for quite a while, then she began to speak, "I was so angry at Rex after the detective gave me that note. I realize now that it was easier to just hate him than to grieve him. Then things got so out of control with George…when I found out what he had done to Rex I just snapped. I don't know what to do about Andrew and Danielle, they are both behaving in a such a way. It is my entire fault. I hate myself." Bree shook her head sadly, "I need help, Lynette, but I'm all alone."

Lynette quit shoveling, crawled out of the hole, and ran over to her, "Bree, I had no idea you felt like this. You seem so composed and put together in front of the girls. I'm so sorry for not being here for you. You are not alone, I promise you."

Bree broke down for the second time in this cemetery. Lynette cradled her head against her chest, rocking her and soothing her. Through her tears Bree said, "I deserve to feel like this. I deserve to be punished. It's my fault that Rex is dead, and that he is buried over here in this drab section," Bree gestured outward, and then moved her arms to encircle Lynette tightly.

"No, Bree, you do not deserve this. You made some mistakes, but Rex forgives you—he said so in that note. You can't blame yourself for what happened," Lynette held Bree until she felt heavy. They both realized how exhausted they were.

"Let's find your ring before we fall asleep out here," Lynette said, getting to her feet, and pulling Bree up. Lynette waved the metal detector over the area where she remembered Bree throwing in the ring, and Bree hesitantly got down in the hole and kneeled on top of Rex's casket. "I hate standing on him, like this!" Bree said as she searched the dirt. The metal detector went off at the head of the casket and Bree moved more dirt out of the way, "Oh Rex, please help me find it, I'm so sorry."

Bree blindly jabbed in the damp dirt, while Lynette kept the metal detector steady over where it registered. "I got it!" Bree announced brushing off the dirt and seeing the gold and diamond glint in the beam of the flashlight. "I can not believe you found it," Lynette dropped the metal detector and grabbed Bree's arms to help her out of the deep pit. They worked together to fill in the hole, and patted the earth down on top of it.

Bree gently laid the roses on the new earth, and offered up a prayer.

Lynette glanced down at her watch, it was almost 6 a.m. sunrise was at 6:10. Lynette still had Bree's keys so she got in the driver's seat. Bree gave her a look. "Relax Bree I have a surprise for you." Lynette drove to the top of the hill, and stopped the car. She got out, and Bree did the same. Lynette sat down and patted the ground next to her. Light slowly started to seep over the horizon, and the bright beautiful sun peeked through and appeared to ascend slowly into the sky. Lynette put her arm around Bree and pulled her close, and Bree rested her head on Lynette's shoulder. She sighed, overwhelmed by the beauty of the sunrise and Lynette's gesture of friendship.

The pre-dawn chill evaporated, and warmth radiated over the women. The moment seemed hyper real due to the high emotions and sleep-deprivation. Lynette removed Bree's hat to pet her hair and kiss the top of her head, "You are not alone."

"I believe you," Bree felt like she was connected to her friend by her very soul. She had never felt so accepted and cared for before. The feeling strengthened her and gave her hope. Bree thanked her for being there, and Lynette thanked her back for letting her be there for her. They hugged tightly, savoring each other and the new sun.


End file.
